Process for manufacture of milk sugar



April 13, 1948. D. D. PEEBLr-:s Er AL 2,439,612

PROCESS FOR MANUFACTUE MILK SUGAR Filed Sept. 28, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 1;-, 1948.

o. D. PEEBLAES er AL 2,439,612

PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURE O'F MILK SUGAR Filed Sept. 28, 41942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ArroeA/Y "Patented -Apr. 13, 1948 q. David D. Peebles, Hillsborough, and Thomas V. Marquis, Santa Cruz, Calif., assignors to West-` ern Conilensing` Company, San Francisco,

l Calif., a corporation of California Application september 2s, 1942, sei-1eme. 459,9zo

1 This invention relates generally to processes for the manufacture of milk sugar or lactose from liquid Whey.

Conventional processes for the manufacture of lactose from whey are carried out as` follows: A portion of the protein of the whey is coagulated by `addition of lime and application of heat, or by the addition of other coagulants, afterwhich the coagulated solids together withprecipitated calcium phosphate and other insoluble solids are removed by decantation, ltration or centrifuging. The clarified eliluent is then concentrated by evaporation, and lactose is `crystallized from the concentrate. Lactose is then removed from the mother liquor by` centrifuging and further puried by washing. Processes of thischaracterdo not produce a lactose as pureas desired or as can be obtained by the prcsentinvention, and nutritive constituents of the whey solids, other than the recovered lactoseare seriously impaired or destroyed. r

Some lactose has also been manufactured by terial like skim milk, but Without previous removval of proteins. In such a process, however,

the proteins' of the lacteal fluid are purposely held in solution or astate of colloidal dispersion and remain so during'the re-crystallization of the lactose and its subsequent separation. The process has not proven satisfactory (see Fundamentals of 8 Claims. (Cl. 12V-31) other insoluble contaminants during crystalliza tion.

Another object of the invention is to provide a process of the above character having a novel procedure for effectively separating out lactose crystals after the crystallizing operation, and

which minimizes the percentage of contaminants removed with the crystals, and also minimizes crystallizing from a concentrate of a lacteal ma- Dairy Science; Rogers, 2nd edition, page 129),

the difficulties encountered being attributed to contamination of the crystals with protein. According to our observations such a process is impractical because the crystals formed lack such uniformity and size as is required for eiective hydraulic separation, centrifuging, and washing.

In `another process which has been `usedto` some extent, the coagulable protein is not removed prior to crystallization, but is enzymically degraded to molecularlysmaller `and less readily coagulable `substances in order that crystallization and subsequentoperations may take place in a fluid relatively free of insoluble contaminants. Such a process is relatively expensive to carry out commercially, it is critical with respect to pH vcontrol, and it requires addition of a chemical like hydrochloric acid which is later neutralized. It is an object of the present invention to provde a process making possible the manufacture of relatively pure lactose by crystallization from e, concentrate, without previous removal of coagulated proteins. and without any treatment to prevent the presence of coagulated protein or resolution of lactose. l l

Another object of the invention is to make possible the preparation of a relatively pure `lactose by crystallization from a iacteal` concentrate to which no chemicals like mineral acid have been added. c

A further` object offj the invention is to provide a process making `possible the manufacture of milk sugar from raw whey. while at thesame time affording a valuable food product from the re.

.maining ingredients. zo

Referring to the drawing: Figure 1 is a flow sheet illustrating one procedure which can be followed in carrying 'out the present invention: and

Figure 2 is adiagrammatic view showing h draulic classifying apparatus suitable for use in separating out lactose crystals.

Flgures`3, 4 and 5 are curves showingthe eiect` of our special heat treatment.

In carrying out the present process we evaporate whey `to produce a concentrate which is supersaturatedwith respect to its lactose content.

By means of special heat treatment the concent trate is caused to have certain properties-which we have found-to be conducive to the production of relatively large and fast settling lactose crystals in the/subsequent crystallizing operation. A

'part of the lactose is permitted to crystallize out of the concentrate, and this mixture is then submitted vto hydraulic classification for removal of the lactose crystals. This last step is preferably aided by diluting the concentrate with a cool `diluen-t like water. `Finally the removedA lactose can be centrifuged and washed.

The procedure shown in Figure 1 is as folli ws:

l'A suitable raw liquid material, such ,as einer cheese or casein whey, or a mixture ofthe two, is preheated at l0 and is then momentarily he ated to-an elevated temperature at ll. The heating at I Ican be conveniently carried out by direct introduction of live steam into the preheated materialas this material is being pumped to the subsequent evaporating step I2. The temperature to which the material is heated is preferably in excess of 212 F., and a suitable range is from 220 to 260 F. After being abruptly heated to such an elevated temperature by direct contact with the steam, the material immediately proceeds to the evaporating step l2 where the evaporation is preferably carried out under vacuum, in suitable vacuum evaporating equipment. As the material passes `to the rst evaporating stage, it immediatelyflashes to a lower temperature below 212 F., and such relatively low temperatures are maintained until evaporation has been carried out to,

a suitable degree. The heating at l i is for a short interval, and will not discolor rimentally aiect the whey soli It is desirable to carry out evaporation until or otherwise detthe concentrate containsfrom, say, 50 to 55% solids. At such concentrations there is a tendency for small crystals of lactose to form in the evaporator. We have found that their presence detrlmentally affects the process, presumably because their small particle size prevents properly controlled crystall formation during the crystallization step and hinders subsequent separation, centrifuging and washing.` To eliminate such small crystals, we pass the concentrate through a. heating step I3, like step il, and where the concentrate is momentarily heated to an elevated temperature such as from 220 to 260 F. by direct i contact with steam. Immediately following such heating, the concentrate can rapidly passl through one or more final stages of evaporation at I4 to cool it to a temperature of the order of 110 F., and to complete evaporation.

Steps Il and 'i3 can be carried out by the use of relattively simple equipment. For example, one can malle use of a small cylindrical chamber about 14 inches long,.and about 3 inches in dlameten-with a stream of whey entering one end and leaving the'other. Live steam at a pressure above atmospheric is introduced tangentially into the chamber near the point of introduction of the whey. The flow rate through the chamber should be such as to afford only momentary or flash heating to the high temperature, as for example a time period within the chamber of.

from 2 to 5 seconds. The discharge of this chamber is led lby piping directly to the expansion chamber of thevacuum evaporator.

The preheating step .l is not essential but is desirable in order to avoid too great a dilution by steam condensate in the heat treatment operation Il. Preheating is preferably carried out-to a temperature of the order of, say, 180 to 190 F. by use of suitable heating apparatus such as one using heated tubes through which the liquid is rapidly circulated.

The type of vacuum evaporating equipment utilized can vary in practice, although I prefer to utilize equipment of the type disclosed in Peebles et al. Patents Nos. 2,090,985 and 2,168,362.

Such equipment is characterized by rapid flow of the material through the evaporating effects, and

by the fact that prolonged-heat treatment is avoide'd. I

In place of the procedure described above, a

Asingle unit of evaporating equipment can be employed with, say, two or more evaporatin'g effects. After the maior part of the evaporation has been completed, the concentrate can be passedl back through the flash heating operation I I. and then repassed through the evaporating equipment for the operation Il. Also it is feasible to continually recirculate a batch `ofvwhey through and in series with the flash heating equipment and evaporating unit, until the degree of concentration desired has been attained. In both of the latter procef ous re-solution. It will be noted that because of 4" dures onlyone flash heating.

Following production of is characterized by the absence of lactose crystals, and which contains a particular type of coagulated protein as well as other insoluble matter in a finely divided state, the concentrate is subjected to the crystallizing operation l5. This can be carried out in suitable crystallizing tanks,

the concentrate, which where the material is permitted to remain for a. i period of time sufficient to permit the developmentof lactose crystals. During crystallizing, gentle agitation is desirable, and it is also desirable, but not necessary, to subject the material to gradual cooling. For example, in a typical instance the concentrate may be received in the ycrystallizing tanks at a temperature of about 110' F., and during crystallization it may be cooled to a temperature of the order of 68 F.

In order to reduce the crystallizing period, and in order to facilitate production of relatively large, fast settling material, it is preferable to seed fresh concentrate -With material which has been treated in the crystallizing tanks. Thus'at the end of the crystallizing operation, one `can remove only a part of the batch of material (such as 25 to 50% of the total mass undergoing crystallization) leaving the remainder to intermix with and seed a succeeding batch of concentrate.

Another procedure which can be used for the crystalllzing operation is as follows: An initial batch of concentrate is crystallizedover a suitable period such as 24 hours. Without removing any of the initial batch, it is mixed with the next batch of concentrate, and the combined material is further crystallized for a like period. `A third batch of concentratev is then added and crystallization continued.` as with they second batch. Further additions of concentrate can be mad dependinggupon the tankage capacity. The material removed from the crystallizing operation is diluted at I6, preferably with rela.- tively cool water. For example, assuming that the material being withdrawn from the crystallizing tanks is at a temperature of the order of 68 F.,

the water used for dilution is preferably relatively colder, `as for example a temperature of 60 F., or lower. The extent of the dilution may vary, although in a typical instance from 25 to50 gallons of waterv can be used to dilute gallons of concentrate, depending upon vthe nature of the concentrate. In place of plain waterfother aqueous materials can be used, such as whey.` Diludilution, the liquid is not saturated with respect to its dissolved lactose content, and therefore resolution of the crystallized lactose can occur. 'I he rate of solution of lactose as well as its solubility decreases with decrease in temperature, and therefore use of cold `diluting water lowers the temperature of the material and tends to minimize re-solution in the separating operation.

Various types of separating methods can be piece of equipment is used for the cation will be presently described.

'I'he lactose crystalsremovedby hydraulic separation carry a minimum of proteins and other contaminants, and they can be directly subjected to centrifuging at I8. During centrifuging. `the lactose is subjected to washing withfresh water i for further puriiication. The lactose 4as ilnaliy removed from the basket of the centrifuge con? tains fromlabout 3 to 10% moisture and can be subjected to drying at I9 to produce the ilnal dried product. y The eii'iuent from the separating operation I'I y contains valuable food ingredients. including water soluble 'vitamins like riboavin and other members of the vitamin IB complex, and is utilized to form a saleable by-product. Thus the overflow from the separation operation I1 is shown being subjected to drying at 20 to produce a final dried product. Such a material is 'useful' as an ingredient in stock or poultry feed.

Figure 2 diagrammatically shows a desirable apparatus for carrying out the diluting and separating steps I and Il. This equipment includes a classifying cone 2l having an inlet pipe 22, an overilow launder 23, and an outlet pipe 24. Pipe 26 connects with pipe 22 for introducing coldwater, and the discharge end of pipe 22 is surrounded by the collar 2l. The bottom of the cone is provided with a discharge opening normally closed by the hinged trap door 29.

In operating the apparatus ofFigure 2 and to carry out our preferred process, concentrate entering pipe 22 is diluted with" cold water or whey, and as the diluted material enters the cone, lactose crystals settle out and collect as a bed in the lower part of the cone. From time `to time door 29 is opened to withdraw lactose from the bottom of the bed, or if desired the cone may be completely filled with lactose crystals, the residual ei'iluent containing contaminants drained off, and the entire batch of crystals droppedinto a suitable tank. The material is then taken from this tank for centrifuging and washing. The overflow carries off substantially all of the remaining solids, including the finely divided coagulated protein. With apparatus of this character, re-solution of the lactose is maintained at a minimum. particularly because as the lactose settles to the lower bed of crystals. it is immediately covered and protected against re-solution by subsequently settling solids, and because the quiescent liquid in that part of the cone-occupied by the collected bed of crystals assumes a i condition of saturation with respect to lactose in solution. f

A particular feature of the above process is the speciall conditioning of the concentrate used for the crystallizing operation, to make possible relatively large crystals `of lactose, having aV high settling rate and capable of being handled without difficulty in a centrifuge. If a whey concentrate containing 50% to 55% solids were prepared by ordinary vacuum'evaporation. with or without preheating .as previously described, and if one 'then attempted to crystallize out lactose from a concentrate obtained in this manner, the lactose crystals would lack uniformity as to size and a substantial part of the crystals wouldV be'so small that they could not be readily separated out, centrifuged,and washed. We have found that this is due to a substantial degree to the relatively high viscosity of such a concentrate, which in turn is -caused to a substantial degree by the presence of partially coagulated protein particles, which have considerable water of hydration and which increase the viscosity of the concentrate 5 becauseof their jell-like character. Whenwhey is concentrated by ordinary vacuum evaporation to from 50% to 55% solids, only about 50% to 52% of the protein is coagulated and the protein particles are caused to have a relatively large curd l0 volume. Our special heat treatment, by momentary heating to a, high temperature, serves to irreversibly coagulate substantially all ofthe protein which is readily susceptible to coagulation by heat treatment, namely to the extent of about 60% to 62% of the total protein content.

By irreversible coagulation we have reference to such denaturing of the coagulated protein that the protein particles do not subsequently imbibe i water or hydrate to enlarge their relative curd o volume. During such denaturing there is a substantial shrinkage in the particle size of the protein, and this shrinkage is accompanied by a loss of water of hydration. Y

The curves shown by Figures 3, 4 and 5 serve to illustrate the effect ,of the special heat treatment. In Figure-3 curve I represents the extent of coagulation of protein as concentration proceeds, using a single vacuum evaporation unit in series With a high temperature ilash heater 30 as previously explained. Curve 2 represents the extent of .proteincoag'ulation where the whey is simply pre-heated to about 180 F. and then concentrated by vacuum evaporation at treatment temperatures of the order from 125 to 130 F. Note that, at about 27 B., corresponding to labout 52% solids, the percentage of coagulation shown by curve I is about 62%, while it isonly about 52% for curve 2. According to our observation it is impossible to coagulate more than about 65% 40 of the whey nitrogen as protein, by heat treatment. The uncoagulated protein remains in soluble form. Curves 3 and 4 in Figure 4 show the relativecurd volume for the lcoagulatedi protein in the concentrates corresponding to curves I and 2. Note that at about 27 B. the curd volume of the coagulated protein (curve 3) obtained by use of the momentary high temperature treatment is substantially less than the curd volume of protein obtained by ordinary evaporation (curve I). This means that for a given concentration the whey made by the present process has a substantially lower viscosity than concentrate made by ordinary evaporatiomby virtue of the smaller curd volume' of the coagulated protein.

Figure 5 shows the enect of the heat treatment upon the water imbibing properties of the coagulated protein. Curve `5 of this gure shows how the coagulated protein of whey prepared by our process does not imbibe water to any appreciable extent upon prolonged holding, while curvel 6 shows that the coagulated protein corresponding to curve 4 does imbibe water to a substantial degree upon prolonged holding. The effect of this At the end of thecrystallizlng operation, from a 52% solids concentrate. the material contained about 19.0% of crystallized lactose. Oi the total lactose content of the original whey, about Was removed from the lower end of the classifier, and about 34% remained after washing and centrifuging. The feed product made by drying the overilow contained about 76.6% oi the total solids in the original whey.

The lactose after centrifuging and drying analyzed as follows;

The dry feed material made by drying the overow from the classifier analyzed as follows:

It will be apparent that the products' obtained will vary in analysis from time to time, depending upon various factors such as the character of the raw whey employed, the preciseprocedure employed in carrying out concentration and crystallization, and the extent, of re-solution permitted in separating the lactose. The figures cited above by Way of example demonstrate the high degree of purity made possible by the process.

In the foregoing reference has been made to use of ordinary liquid whey such as is obtained in the manufacture of cheese or casein. The process is also applicable to other lactose containing -lacteal iiuids, such as a material prepared by mixing dry powdered whey with water. Such a reconstituted whey can be treated as previously described, with modiiication oi the evaporating operation in accordance with th'e solids content` of the reconstituted material.

We claim: l. In a process-for the manufacture of lactose from a liquid lacteal material containing milkl protein and lactose, subjecting the material to evaporation and heat treatment to form a concentrate which is supersaturated with respect to its lactose content, which has the major part of its protein content irreversibly coagulated by heat and which is free of lactose crystals, the heat treatment including directly contacting the material with steam. to rapidly v'transfer heat to the same, seeding a mass of said concentrate with lactose crystals formed in a preceding crystallizing operation of the process, permitting lactose from the concentrate to crystallize out in the Per cent Acid (as lactic) 5.6

Lactose (monohydrate) 67.0

`Protein 14.3

Ash 10.0

Undetermined 3.1

Per cent Moisture 0.03 Protein 0.49 Ash 0.22 Acid 0.09

Lactose 99.17

mass after such seeding, and then separating out lactose crystals from the mass of material.

2. In aprocess for the manufacture of lactose, the steps of forming a lacteal concentrate supersaturated with respect to its lactose content and containing coagulated milk protein, causing a substantial amount o! the lactose content to crystallize out of solution, dilutingthe concentrate with water which is relatively cool compared to the concentrate being diluted, the amount oi diluting water being suillcient to eiect a substantial reduction in viscosity and the temperature of the diluting water being sufilclently llow to minimize resolution oi lactose upon dilution, and immediately thereafter removing lactose crystalsI from the diluted material by hydraulic classification.l

3. In a process for the manufacture of lactose from whey, the steps of concentrating whey by yevaporation to form a supersaturated solution oi lactose, permitting asubstantial amount of the lactose content to crystallize out from the solution, adding water to the bulk of the material containing the crystals to an amount sufficient to effect a substantial reduction in viscosity, the water being relatively cool compared to the concentrate being diluted to minimize resolution of lactose in the diluted mass, and then removing lactose crystals from the diluted material by hydraulic classification.

4. In a process for the manufacture oi lactose from lacteal material containing milk protein and lactose, subjecting' the material to evaporation and heat treatment to form a concentrate supersaturated with respect to its lactose content and completely free from lactose crystals, the major part of the protein concentrate being lrreversibly coagulated, seeding a mass of the concentrate with lactose crystals formed in a previous crystalllzing operation of the process, permitting lactose crystals to form in the seeded mass,.diluting the mass of material with water in an amount suiilicient` to effect a substantial reduction in viscosity, said water being cool comrated with respect to its lactose content, ash` heating the concentrate at about the completion of evaporation to a temperature and for aiperiod of time sufiicient to cause complete resolution of lactose crystals formed during previous vacuum evaporation, cooling the concentrate after such heating without crystallization of. lactose, seeding a mass of the concentrate with lactose crystals, permitting lactose crystals to form in the seeded mass, and then separating out lactose crystals from the mass of material.

6. In aprocess for the manufacture of lactoseA from a liquid lacteal material containing milk protein and lactose, subjecting theA material to vacuum evaporation and heat treatment to form a concentrate which is supersaturated with respect to its lactose content; which has the major part of its protein contentirreversibly coagu` lated by heat and which is free of lactose crystals, the heat treatment including ash heating oi the material toa temperature in excess of about 212 F. for a period oi time suicient to lrreversibly coagulate the majority oi' the-whey ing a mass oi the concentrate with lactose crystals, permitting lactose crystals to icrm in the seeded mass, diluting the mass of material with water in an amount suilicient to efl'ect a substantial reduction in viscosity, and then subjecting the resulting mass to hydraulic separation to ei iect separation of lactose crystals, said last named step being conducted by continually supplying the diluted mass to the upper portion of a liquid separating column, continually withdrawing an overilow consisting o1 liquid and unseparated crystals from the upper portion oi the column, and permitting the lactose crystals to separate out into the lower quiescent portion oi the column.

8. In a process for the manufacture of lactose from whey, the steps of concentrating whey by evaporation to form a concentrate supersaturated with respect to its lactose content, seeding a mass of the concentrate with lactose crystals,

l0 permitting lactose crystals to iorm in the seeded mass, diluting the mass of material with water in an amount sufficient to eiect a substantial reduction in viscosity, said water being at a temperature suillciently low relative to the temperature of the concentrate to substantially reduce thetemperature of the resulting diluted mass to thereby minimize resolution of lactose crystals. and then eiiectfng hydraulic separation oi lactose crystals from the diluted material, said last named step being conducted =by supplying the diluted mass to the upper portion of a liquid separating column. establishing an overilow oi liquid from the upper portion of the column together with unseparated crystals, and permitting lactose crystals to separate out into a lower quiescent portion ci the column.

\ DAVID D. PEEBLES.

THOMAS V. MARQUIS.

. REFERENCES CITED The following` references are oi' record in the ille`of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

